Anger as Chinese wind farm lauded

Sun Herald
Sunday 15/10/2006, Page: 26

ENVIRONMENT minister Ian Campbell will attend the opening of a $300 million Australian wind farm in China on Tuesday, built by the same company forced to halt lucrative Australian projects because of his policies.

Wind farm specialists Roaring 40s announced six months ago it was stopping work on projects at Heemskirk in Tasmania and Waterloo in South Australia because of poor government support.

The projects were worth $550 million. It was estimated they would create 200 full-time construction jobs. A Roaring 40s' press release highlighted the Federal Governments' decision not to increase the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target as the key reason for halting work on the projects.

At the same time, Senator Campbell blocked another wind farm project, the multimillion-dollar Bald Hills venture in Wangaratta, Victoria, because he believed the wind turbines could kill one orange-bellied parrot every few years.

Other companies have shifted their investment projects offshore, citing a lack of government support for the renewable energy industry.

But tomorrow Roaring 40s will announce that Senator Campbell will attend the opening of the Chinese wind farm project. His attendance offshore to laud projects he has helped block in Australia has the Opposition jumping mad.

"For Australia's renewable energy industry, Senator Campbell's trip to China adds insult to injury," Labor environment spokesman Anthony Albanese said. "It is rank hypocrisy for Senator Campbell to celebrate investment and jobs in China after his damaging actions in Australia against the renewable energy industry.

"Government policies have lost hundreds of jobs and stalled the development of the renewable energy industry in Australia.

"Renewable energy companies are investing in China because China has a renewable energy target of 15 per cent, compared to Australia's pathetic 2 per cent target." Leading renewable energy company Pacific Hydro recently announced it might scrap plans for wind farms in Portland, Ararat and Ballan in Victoria.

Mr Albanese said the Vestas nacelle wind turbine assembly plant in northern Tasmania had also announced it would be closing, resulting in the loss of 100 jobs.

He also pointed to comments by Australia's fourth-richest man, Zhengrong Shi, who made his wealth from developing solar energy technology in China. Mr Shi said recently that if Australia had a similar incentive program to China's, he would have set up a local manufacturing plant.